The above table serves as a snapshot of the typical factors that impact ridership, and illustrates the differences which exist between the current month and the same month in the previous year. If a change occurred, it is categorized to represent a (typically) positive, negative or neutral impact on ridership. More details on the observed impacts are noted in the description of ridership results below. ​

​Local Network Overview

Local Bus

Monthly Total

There were 4,614K boardings in December 2017 compared to 4,651K in December 2016, a decrease of 37K boardings (or 1 percent decrease) on local bus service. A negative calendar mix of one fewer weekday and one more Sunday relative to the previous year is the primary reason for the ridership loss.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership decreased on Weekday and increased on Saturday and Sunday in December 2017 compared to December 2016. Average Weekday ridership decreased by approximately 1K boardings (or less than 1 percent decrease), average Saturday ridership increased by approximately 6K (or 5 percent increase), and average Sunday ridership increased by 14K boardings (or 18 percent increase) in December 2017 compared to December 2016.

​Light Rail

Monthly Total

There were 1,309K boardings on all three light rail lines in December 2017 compared to 1,300K boardings in December 2016, an increase of 9K boardings (or less than 1 percent). Green and Purple line ridership increased by 54 percent and 85 percent respectively, while Red line ridership decreased by 7 percent in December 2017 compared to December 2016. A negative calendar mix of one fewer weekday and one more Sunday relative to the previous year offset the ridership benefit of considerably fewer interruptions in December 2017 relative to the previous year (2 in 2017 as compared to 16 in 2016).

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average Weekday ridership on the Green and Purple increased by 1K boardings each (or 43 and percent respectively), in December 2017 compared to December 2016. Average Weekday ridership decreased by 1K boardings (or less than 1 percent) on the Red line relative to the previous year. Average Saturday and Sunday ridership increased on all three rail lines relative to December 2016. Average Saturday ridership on the Red, Green, and Purple lines increased by 1 percent, 53 percent, and 33 percent respectively while average Sunday ridership on the Red, Green, and Purples lines increased by 7 percent, 68 percent and 38 percent respectively relative to December 2016.

Total Local Network

Monthly Total

There were 5,923K boardings in December 2017 compared to 5,950K in December 2016, a decrease of 28K boardings (or less than 1 percent decrease).

​Commuter Network Overview

Park & Ride

Monthly Total

There were 490K Park and Ride boardings in December 2017 compared to 527K boardings in December 2016, a decrease of approximately 38K boardings (or 7 percent decrease). A negative calendar mix of one fewer weekday and one more Sunday relative to the previous year is the primary reason for the ridership loss.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday

Average Weekday ridership in December 2017 was 25K boardings compared to 25K boardings December 2016, a slight decrease of less than 1K boardings (or less than 1 percent decrease).

Entire Network Summary

Monthly Total

There were 6,413K boardings on the entire fixed-route network in December 2017 compared to 6,478K boardings in December 2016, a decrease of 65K boardings (or 1 percent decrease). Relevant factors were noted earlier and are included in the table above.

Average Daily Ridership: Weekday / Saturday / Sunday

Average daily ridership for the fixed-route network increased on Weekday, Saturday, and Sunday in December 2017 compared to December 2016. Average weekday ridership increased by approximately 1K boardings (or less than 1 percent increase), average Saturday ridership increased by 8K boardings (or 6 percent increase), and average Sunday ridership increased by approximately 17K boardings (or 17 percent increase) in December 2017 compared to December 2016.